-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Kenya 's national football team may not have made it to the World Cup Finals in Brazil -- but one man will be there for his African nation .

Stepping into the role of representing Kenya is Aden Marwa , the country 's first linesman to officiate at the beautiful game 's biggest event .

`` Football is my life , football has made my life change a big deal , '' Marwa tells CNN .

Like many a young boy , Marwa became obsessed with football , often walking vast distances so he could get to a TV to watch a match . Yet despite his passion for the game , he wanted nothing to do with refereeing and for good reason .

`` Those times it was hard because a match would hardly finish without a referee being beaten , '' he explains . `` The fans were rowdy and you know , the facilities were not very good . ''

`` You were playing in open fields so the referee could be attacked anytime so when I could see that as a young boy , I did n't love it . So I was scared . ''

However , by the time Marwa became a linesman in 1998 at the age of 21 , the game had changed dramatically as more resources and education had been funneled into the sport .

`` Once you decide you want to become a football referee there are three pillars . One is your medical fitness , two is your physical fitness and then three , the technical fitness , so these can not be compromised . ''

By 2006 , the ambitious referee got his big break refereeing a game in the Kenyan Premier League before making his international debut as an assistant referee for FIFA just two years later .

Today he holds the accolade of `` best assistant referee '' in the Kenyan Premier League and his talent has taken him to sun-kissed shores of South America for the 2014 World Cup , where he has been performing as a reserve assistant referee .

The 37-year-old knows this will be the biggest test of his career so far and is prepared to have the eyes of millions of football fans scrutinizing his every decision .

`` Referees have to make decisions in the shortest time possible . I see it once but you , on TV , will see it and see a replay and you can even pause with technology and even review , '' he says .

`` As a referee I only have one angle to look at that ... so the challenge that we have as referees , the biggest one , is how to place yourself at the right position and the right moment to make that very important , crucial decision . ''

Check out the video below to find out how Marwa prepared for his greatest moment to date and earned his dream job officiating at this year 's World Cup .

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Aden Marwa is Kenya 's first linesman to officiate at a World Cup

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He reveals the levels of fitness referees must have in order to officiate at the highest level

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When not on the pitch , he can often be focuses on technical training , match analysis

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`` Football is my life , football has made my life change a big deal , '' he tells CNN